Yarn guide and cleaner



L. T. HOUGHTON YARN GUIDE AND CLEANER .Bam il w24 Filed Feb. .7. 1921Jan.. 15 i924 v ,4?9,04

l L.T.HOUGHTON YARN GUIDE AND CLEANER Fned Feb. v. 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2Patented dan. l, i924.

UNET@ STATES initiate@ LEWIS T. HOUGHTON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

'YARN GUIDE AND CLEANER.

Application led February 7, 1921.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Lnwrs T. HoUGHToN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Yarn Guide and Cleaner, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a yarn guide capable of general use, butespecially suitable for application to spoolers, spinning frames, etc.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a pair of jawssuitably located in such position as to receive the yarn on one side anddischarge it at an angle on the other side without subjecting it tochaing against any sharp or square corners; to provide a construction inwhich the yarn will pass over one jaw having a wide flat sur.- face forreceiving it and lie along said surface in contact with it all the wayacross so that it will not bear on the other jaw which is spaced only ashort distance from it: to provide a removable covering for said surfaceso that it will be capable of being hardened without hardening the restof the device; to make one jaw substantially stationary and the othercapable of movingdirectly away from it to permit of convenientlycleaning the lint therefrom; to provide means whereby when the movablejaw has been drawn away fromthe fixed jaw the former will come backexactly to the proper distance from the fixed jaw, thus maintaining thespace between the aws uniform; to provide means whereby this space is ofuniform width all the way across and throughout the length of the jaws;to provide a construction which can be moved as a whole for the purposeof laying the yarn evenly .y

to the flanges of a spool, or the like and in such position that theprinciple of preventing the chaiing of the yarn against a square cornerwill be adhered to; and to provide a construction in which both the awscan be made of sheet metal stampings constructed originally of thedesired shape so as to avoid expensive machine work suchas has vto bedepended upon lwith the cast iron yarn guides heretofore in use. Theinvention also comprises features of construction designed foraccomplishing these resultsas will appear.

Reference is to be had to the accompany?. ing drawings, in which- Fig. lis a front elevation of a portion of Serial No. 442,911.

a spooler traverse bar and tension device with a preferred embodiment ofthis invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an end View of the same showing the traverse rod in section;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the yarn guide by itself with parts insection to show interior construction;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the yarn guide by itself on enlarged scale andin normal position showing the course of the yarn;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the yarn guide jaws in section andtipped to an inclinedposition, and j Fig. 6 isa view similar to Fig. tshowing the yarn guide inclined in the other direction.

In spooling yarn it is drawn from the bobbins and wound on the spool, Inthis process the yarn is cleaned from bunches or slubs by passingthrough a spooler guide consisting of a pair of jaws spaced apart so asto permit the free passage of the yarn and stop all bunches or .slubsthat would cause imperfections in the cloth. The square corner or" thejaws in general use roughens the yarn as it is drawn over them and alsocauses considerable useless breakage and loss of time in piecing. It isalso evident that the less knots required in piecing the better theyarn.

I cause the yarn to enter the guides over a round smooth surface and tostay in contact with that surface, or ya continuation thereof, whileinthe jaws. I also lead it out over one of two rounded smooth surfaces.The clearing ofthe yarn is done, not by two square edges but by onealone acting opposite a smooth Hat surface of the lower jaw. The resultis a great reduction in breakage and piecing and a material increase inspool speed.

Heretofore, when it was necessary to move the guides up or down tolaythe yarn near the flanges of the spools, this chaling was obviouslyincreased because the yarn passed over the sharp corner at a greaterangle. I have entirely eliminated any increase in the chang from thiscause, by the means` above described and by maintainingv .constant thedirect-ion of entrance of the yarn into the guides from a point at anangle-below said smooth flat surface.

I have shown this invention as applied to` a traverse rod l0 on a wellvknown type of" spoolng machina I .have also illuSfrat.

the yarn as delivered to this traverse rod l from abobbin 11, through apigytailw124v and over two sets of guide fingers 13 and 14A of, a.tension device. These elements do not constitute a part of thisinvention. however, and it can be used with any ordinary spoolermechanism. This tension device is shownas secured to the traverse rod 10by an integral U-shaped bracket 15 and bolt- 16.

Connected over the traverse rod 10 in the same wayv is shown. a secondUfshaped bracket 17l of sheet metal having a bolt 18 extendingtherethrough` and through a rectangular sheet-metal box 19. This boxconstitutes a spacing member and in contact with its rear face is asheetmetal plate 20 held thereon by aV nut on the bolt18.- This plate'is provided, along its`v vertical `and lower edges, rwith an. integralflange 21 against the inner face of which the spacing boX 19 engages. Italso has an integral projection 22 punched from the material: thereofengaging theopposite-or frontV side of said box 19. These parts 21- and.22 serve to accurately locate this plate 2 0fonthe box 19 and on thebolt 18 which passes through a perforation in it. This plate 2O isprovided with an upper flat flange 24 which, in the fourth figure, isshown as. slightly inclinedy so that it will project-.into the normalpath of theyarn from the rod 1() to the flat surface of the lower jawthat receives and supports the yarn. This ensures that the yarn shallpass over this rounded surface on entering thev jaws.

Preferably the lower jaw is provided, extending over itsv uppe-r surfaceand beyond it at lone end and under it to secure it thereto, with alcovering 25 of sheet steel. This is made separately so that ity can behardened' without hardening the rest of the jawand it constitutes adurable, surface forreceiving the yarn which passes over it. On accountof hardening it it will wear much longer than ordinary sheet metalsurfaces would. If it does get scored in time it can be removed andreplaced by a new cover.

The jaw supporting plate 20 extends integrally upward at 26 on the rearend and is provided with Atwoperforations 2T and 23, one for the bol-t13 and the other being a square perforation for the square shoulder.

of a second bolt 29.

Inside the flange 21 whichextends up around this upper perforation areoffset projections 3.0 for receiving between them and the flange aspring 31. This spring is shown in the form of a wire extending alongthe tops ofthese projections 3,0then coiled once at 32, extendingydownwardly atan angle; and coiled at 33 'and having anjupwardlyextending inclined end 34. The latter yconstitutes the activef partofthe spring as will appear.

Supported by 'this plate-2Q is a ,second sheetinietal platelphaving avertical portion provided with an upper elongated slotV 36-anda lowerslot 37 opening out of the bottom thereof and covered by a washer onthebolt 18. This upper plate is provided with an integral flange 38extending all around its rear and upper surfaces at right y tutingyacontinuation of the flange 33. This flange 43 constitutes the upper jawof the pair and its lower surface is made flat and parallelwith theupper surface ofthe lower jaw 24. ylt is also formed soy that the twojaws will rbe at the saine distance apart throughout their length aswell as throu'ghout their width. i j

Located on the `bolt 29 is anV eccentric disc 40 vextending into a slot.49. in the frontplate 45 of the upper jaw. rlfhis eccentric is connected with an operating disc 41 which is shown as having a not-ch 42 inits edge so that it can be turned by a wrench of special and convenientdesign to adjust the normal distance between the two jaws as willappear.

The inclined end 34 of the spring 31 engages over the rear end ofthe jaw43, which constitutes a convenient projection for that purpose, and inthat way acts to hold the upper jaw down toward the lower .Theadjustment of the eccentric V40 limits the motion of the upper jawtoward the lower jaw .by its contact with the top of the slot 49. Itdoes not prevent the upper jaw being drawn up a short distance inopposition to the spring, however,.and this is. done in practice toclean the jaws.

When lint or knots gather along the sharp front edge of the upper jawthe lattercan be grasped between the. thumb and finger and lifted inopposition to the spring 34. Fig. 3 shows the limiting position. Thisjaw is then cleaned very simply by wipingover its length. Then the upperjaw is re leased. Whenever this is done the spring will force it back tothe position to which it is adjusted by the eccentric 40 according tothe yarn being run through. lt will always come back to the same pointand thus properly size the yarn that is passing through it. y

The back of the upper jaw plate is closed by the `sheetnietal plate 45which encloses the cain and spring 31. This plate has lintegralprojections 46 for engaging in notches iii theflange 38 on the rear endof the upper jaw plate 35 and the latter also is provided` with one orinoreprojections v4'( adapted to be bent .over the edge of the plate 45to hold it in position.' Thus the plates and 45 are spaced apart, and,with their edge anges, constitute an upper jaw member.

Describing the jaws 25 and 43 more in detail it will be seen that thefront edge of the upper jaw is completed by the lower edge of the platein the form shown, although that is not essential. However, the frontvedge of this upper jaw is square and sharp, but the rear corner of thejaw is rounded in the ordinary sheet metal operation of' bending in theflange 43, and although this is in a sense incidental to the manufactureof the device it has an important function as will appear.

The object of the broad flat surface on the top of the jaw 25 is toprovide a direct course for the yarn from the top *ofl the traverse rodor any other-surface over which it passes, so that the yarn may have along bearing on this surface. Furthermore, in use the upper jaw isadjusted to just the proper height above the lower one so that yarn ofthe particular size being operated upon can pass vthrough freely andwithout any obstruction or chaling. The object .is to keep the yarn awayfrom the square front corner of the upper jaw and yet locate it in suchposition that any bunches or lint on the yarn will be engaged by thisedge and removed if that is possible. Otherwise the yarn is broken. Thejaws are spaced so that the yarn will have a free passage between the.jaws and the bunches or slubs cannot pass through, thereby cleaning theyarn. 'By this arrangement the number of breaks ismaterially reduced,and the yarn is passed through smoother and in a more uniform conditionand with less knots than has been the case heretofore.

The lower jaw 24, or its covering sheet 25, when that is used, isrounded both at the front and rear edges. Its front edge is set forwardof the square front edge of the upper jaw as vshown most clearly in Fig.4. Also the whole guide is tipped or lifted at its receiving edgev toensure that, as the yarn enters the guide, it shall pass ove: theforward rounded edge of the lower jaw.

I'In passing from the flat surface. of the lower jaw the yarn will haveto pass over one of the rear curved corners, no matter in whichdirection it extends, aswill appear clearly from Fig. 4. i

.Another feature of this invention consisl'sin the fact that, the wholeguide being supported on the traverse rod 10, the bolt 18 can beloosened and the whole structure swung about this rod as a center inorder to lay the yarn equal distances from the spool flange withoutallowing it to engage the square corner of the upper jaw. I have showntwo positions of the device iniFigs. 5 and 6. In both of these thepassage between the jaws is inclined downwardly from a tangent to theupper'surface of the traverse rod l0. Although the yarn passes out ofthe jaws in a different direction, it will pass into them in the samedirection as in Fig. 4 referring to the jaws alone. In other words, theyarn always passes over the rounded edge 25 of the lower jaw in contacttherewith. In the position shown in Fig. 6 the guide is tipped over topermit the laying of the yarn closely on the spool near its lowerflange. Any construction heretofore known to me forl tipping the guideor adjusting it for the purpose of laying the yarn close to the flangesof the spool would result in drawing the yarn across a sharp corner, andthus increase the number of breaks to which it is likely to he subjectedand also roughen the yarn.

It is to be observed that the upper and lower jaws are substantiallyflat and parallel to each other along their active surfaces. Thus thesame opening is maintained between the jaws all along them and acrossthem before and after the raising of the upper jaw for cleaningpurposes.l The upper jaw always returns to normal position accuratelybut if it should be slightly displaced sideways the sizing space wouldbe left exactly the same. This cannot be varied eX- cept by intentionaladjustment. The upper jaw, moving down along a plane perpendicular tothe active ysurface of the lower jaw, obviates difficulties which havebeen Inet with in some other cleaning devices on account of theirfailing to come back properly to position and thus size the yarn andremove bunches. In all positions of the jaws, whether inclined in onedirection or the other or substantially` upright, the yarn cannot comeinto contact with the upper corner of the square jaw but any bunches orknots upon it can. Thus, when the guide is `tipped up or down so as tolay the yarn on the spool at equal distances from the spool flanges, theexaggerated chafing heretofore encountered is entirely7 done away with.The yarn cannot come into contact with the sharp edges of the jaw anymore than it can when the jaws are in their normal vertical position. Itis to be observed also that the yarn is always held closely in contactwith the lower jaw all the way across it, regardless o-f the position ofthe guide as shown clearly in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. It will be seentherefore that the yarn passes through the guide with the least possiblefriction and that the guide can be adjusted for all possiblecontingencies. The result is a cleaner yarn with less knots, bunches andslubs.

As has been sta-ted, the'guides are made of sheet metal, easily andcheaply stamped out and requiring no finish. The construction is suchthat the speed of the spooling of the yarn may be very materiallyincreased as I have demonstrated in'practice. This is due to theelimination of needless friction on the yarn.

Although I have illustrated and described lonly a single form of theinvention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made thereinby any person skilled in the` details of construction herein shown anddescribed, but what I do claimis 1. In a yarn guide, the combination ofa pair of jaws, one constituting a supporting table having a wide flatbearing surface all the way across it, on which the yarn will lie in afiat conditioinbut rounded at .its forward, or yarn receiving and rear,or yarn delivering, edge, and the other jaw, spaced adjacent thereto andparallel therewith provided with a sharp forward edge a rounded rearedge, said rounded lforward edge being located in position rto beengaged by the yarn before it passes between the jaws.

2. In a yarn guide, the combination of a jaw having a wide plain surfacefor receiving the yarn thereon and a rounded corner on the back overwhich the yarn may be drawn, and a second jaw spaced from the first jawa distance substantially equal tothe diameter of the yarn and having aflat sur face parallel therewith, the forward edge of the second jawbeing sharp and the rear edge being rounded, whereby the yarn will reston the rst jaw as it passes over it without contact normally with theforward part of the other jaw, to reduce to a minimum the chafing by theyarn.

In a yarn lguide, the combination of a relatively fixed jaw having asurface for receiving the yarn thereon and a rounded corner on the backover which the yarn may be fed therefrom, and a second jaw spaced fromthe first jaw a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the yarnand having therear of the jaw rounded, whereby the yarn will pass fromthe jaws at an langle in either direction without chafing.

"l 4. In a yarn guide, the combination with a member having` a surfaceover which the yarn passes, of a pair of jaws, one of said jawsconstituting` a supporting table forthe yarn and having bearing surfacerounded at its forward, or yarn receiving edge.. and

the second jaw being spaced from the first and having a flat surfaceadjacent thereto and parallel therewith, provided with a sharp forwardedge, said guide being located in position to receive the yarn on saidforward rounded edge as the yarn passes between the jaws.

5. rIhe combination with a rod over which' a strand'of yarnpasses, of yapair of jaws Laramie f ceiving the yar-ntherefrom, the' lower jaw havinga smooth convex forward yarn receiving surface at a distance from saidrod and ca long broad flat yarn supporting surface, and means whereby inall adjusted positions of the jaws, the yarn will pass .from the rodinto the jaws in contact with said smoothconvex surface.

6. The combination with a supporting rod over which a strand of yarn isadapted to pass, with a bracket adjustable'about said rod and mountedthereon, and a pair o-f jaws supported by said bracket and adapted toreceive the yarn from said rod between them, the lower jaw having-arounded front edge and the upper jaw having a sharp fronty edge, theyarn receiving surface of the lower jaw being located at such an angleto a line substantially tangent to the surface of said rod that the yarnpassing from the surface of the rod to the jaws will contact with saidrounded front edge of the lower jaw.

7. In a yarn guide, the combination of a lower jaw having a flat surfaceover which the yarn may be fed thereon,1 and a second jaw spaced fromthe. first'jaw, the forward edge of which is sharp, whereby the yarnwill 'reston the lower jaw as it passes over it without contact normallywith the forward part of the 'upper jaw, but any bunches or knotsthereon will engage said Asharp flat edge, the upper jaw being capableof mov ing upwardly in a planeperpendicular to the plane of theoperative surface of thelower jaw, and yieldingmeans for holding theupper jaw down in its limiting position.

8. In a yarn guide,the combination of a lower jaw and' an upperjaw'spaced therefrom having a sharp lower forward edge and a roundedrear edge, whereby the yarn will rest on the lower jaw as it passes overit without contact normally with they forward part of the upper jaw butany bunchesl or knots thereon will engage the sharp edge y of theupperjaw, means for adjusting the space between the jaws, and means foryieldingly holding the upper jaw in its ylower position .to receive theyarn on its forward rounded edge from the surface of said menr" 10; In ayarn guide, the combination'of 'a' vpair of jaws havingparallel flatsurfaces ber as the yarn ,passes between the jaws.

spaced apart for receiving the 'yarnbetween f them, means for holdingthe yarn against ried by one of them and engaging the other 25 one ofsaid surfaces, said jaws having sliding connection with each other, anda spring carried by one of them and engaging the other for forcing themtoward each other.

1l. In a yarn guide, the combination of a pair of jaws having parallelflat surfaces spaced apart for receiving the yarn between them, meansfor holding the yarn against one of said surfaces, said jaws havingsliding connection with each other, one jaw havinga projection, and aspring on the other jaw having lan inclined end engaging and constantlypressing on said projection to hold said jaws near together.

' l2. In a yarn guide, the combination of a pair of jaws having parallelflat surfaces spaced apart for receiving the yarn between them, meansfor holding the yarn against one of said surfaces, said jaws havingsliding connection with each other, comprising a slot and bolt, aneccentric surface on said bolt located in the slot for limiting themotion of the jaws together, and a spring carfor forcing them towardeach other.

13. In a yarn guide, the combination of a lower jaw having a wide flatsurface for receiving the yarn in contact therewith, and an upper jawcomprising a separate piece of sheet metal having a flange turned inunder the upper jaw and having a wide fiat lower surface paralleltherewith constituting the jaw proper.

14. In a yarn guide, the combination of a lower jaw consisting of apiece of sheet metal having a flange turned in at the top andconstituting thejaw proper, said flange having a wide flat surface forreceiving the yarn, and an upper jaw having a parallel surface spacedtherefrom, and a piece of hardened sheet metal fixed on the surface ofthe lower jaw to receive the wear of the yarn.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

LEWIS T. HOUGHTON.

